Method of forming water-tight bulkheads.



Patented Aug. 13, 1918.

F. W. HARDING.

METHOD OF FORMING WATER TIGHT BULKHEADS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I. 1916.

T mmm FOSTER W. HARDING, OF SANTA. ANA, CALIFORNIA.

METHOD FORMING WATER-TIGHT BULKHEADS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 13, 118.

Application filed June 1, 1916. Serial No. 101,194.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that ll, Fos'rnn W. HARDING, a citizen of the United States, residing at Santa Ana, in the county of Orange and State of California, have invented anew and useful Method of Forming Water-Tight till Bulkheads, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to concrete construction, and the principal object of my invention is to provide means for forming water tight concrete bulkheads. This is accomplished by driving into place successive sections of concrete piling, this piling being previously formed with looking grooves in the edges, and being locked together by a concrete key cast in the locking grooves after the piling is in place.

Another object of my invention is to provide special means for guiding the successive sections of the concrete piling into place, so that the locking grooves formed in the side thereof will properly register.

Another object of my invention is to provide novel meansfor removing and excluding sand and other foreign matter from the locking groove, and for holding the piling in alinement so that the groove can be readily filled with concrete.

Referring to the drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only:

Figure 1 shows in a somewhat diagrammatic manner the method of driving the piling, removing the sand from the locking grooves, and casting the concrete key in place.

Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the piling illustrated in Fig.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing one form of the hollow upper locking key.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one form of the lower locking key.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through the edges of two adjacent piles.

lln Fig. 1, five concrete piles are'shown, these piles beingnurnbered from 11 to 15 inclusive. Each of these piles consists of a straight body portion of rectangular outline having a locking groove 16 formed in each edge thereof, these locking grooves having a narrow throat 17 and an enlarged inner portion 18, and being so placed that the grooves on adjacent-piles register when the piling is in place to form a single key groove of figure form. The plling is supposed to be driven in the order in which it s numbered, that is to say, pile 11 was driven first, and pile 15 is shown in the process of being driven. Secured in the lower end of the locking groove 16 on one side of each pile is a lower locking key 20 which may be formed of a variety of materials, cast iron being a cheap and convenient material for this purpose. The lower locking keys 20 are each provided with pins 21 which project into the body of the pile and assist in holding the locking key in place.

In practice, the locking keys 20 are cast into the piles when the piles are formed,'a similar key being provided for each pile. Upper hollow locking keys 22 are also rovided, these keys being provided wit a shoulder 23 to prevent their being forced downwardly into the pile. The keys 22 may also be formed of cast iron, wrought iron, or any other convenient material. The keys 20 and 22 are of such a form that they fit closely in the locking grooves 16 of the piles for the purpose which will now be explained.

The method of operation is as follows:

()ne of the piles is driven in the location desired, and a second pile is driven immediately adjacent thereto in such a position that the locking grooves 16 of one pile register with the locking grooves of the other to form a key groove, the lower key 20 in the pile which is being driven sliding down in the locking groove 16 of the pile which has already been driven, so that the locking keys 20 form a guiding means for insuring a proper alinement of the driven pile with the pile that is being driven. As soon as the lower locking key 20 has been forced downwardly a short distance in the driven pile, the upper locking key 22 is slipped in place, being-slid downwardly in the groove of the pile which is being drlven until it enters the top of the groove of the driven pile, the shoulder 23 tending to retain it in this position as is shown in the drawings. The pile which is being driven can then be forced downwardly, the locking keys 22. and 20. serving to direct it so that the edges of the two p1les are close together and the locking grooves 16 in the two piles register with each other to form a single key groove of figure form.

In the drawing, the pile 15 is shown in the act of being driven, the lower locking key 20, which is secured in this pile, traveling downwardly in the locking groove 16 of I the pile 14, and the stationary locking key 22 being shown resting on top of the pile 11 inside the locking groove 16 thereof, the pile 15 sliding on the upper locking key 22 which engages the groove 16 of the pile 15 and serves to properly guide it. As soon as the pile, which is being driven has reached its proper depth, a jet pipe 30 is inserted in the key groove, this jet pipe being provided with a flexible hose 31 which is coupled to a pipe 32. During the driving operation, more or less sand and mud has entered the key groove, and the jet pipe is used for the purpose of cleaning out this groove, a jet of water under considerable pressure being forced therein, thereby loosening the mud and washing it upwardly and out as shown in Fig. 1 in which the key groove between the piles 13 and 11 is shown in the act of being so cleaned. As soon as the jet pipe 30 has reached the bottom of the key groove, resting on the lower locking key 20, and the mud and sand has been cleaned out of the groove, the suction pipe 33 of the pump 32 is supplied with Portland cement and the pump is used to force cement downwardly through the pipe 30 into the bottom of the key groove between the piles 12 and 13, for example, the pipe 30 being withdrawn as the groove is filled. The cement therefore displaces the water which is inside the key groove and fills the groove to the top with a body of cement shown at 34, this cement entirely filling the key groove between the piles'and forming a cement locking key with enlarged ends which hardens to form an impervious water tight bond between the two piles as shown between the piles lland 12, thus locking the piles rigidly together and producing an impervious water tight seawall of great mechanical strength.

For the purpose of excluding sand from the locking key groove and retaining the cement therein, I refer to cast into the body of each pile on tl fe edge thereof two longitudinal strips 100 of galvanized iron, these strips being preferably corrugated, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, and being located on either side of the locking key groove. The strips 100 project from the body of the cement and are turned over to form a tongue 101 which fits into a groove 102 formed on an adjacent pile. The strips 100 form packing members which prevent the. entrance of sand to and the exit of concrete from the locking groove.

I claim as my invention: 7 1-. In a wall composed of a series of piling members having registering grooves cut in the edges thereof, an upper key adapted to fit into the registering grooves of two adjacent piles, said key being provided with means to prevent it from being entirely forced into said registerin grooves, and being provided with a centra opening through which a jet pipe may be inserted in said registering grooves.

2. In a wall, a series of piling members, each piling member having a locking groove formed on each edge thereof in such a position that the grooves on adjacent piling members register to produce a key groove, a lower locking key secured to the lower end of one pile and projecting into the locking groove of another, and an upper locking key resting on the top of and in the locking groove of one pile and projecting into the locking groove of another.

3. In a wall, a series of piling members, each piling member having a locking groove formed on each edge thereof in such a position that the grooves on adjacent piling members register to produce a key groove, a lower locking key secured to the lower end of one pile and projecting into the locking groove of another, and an upper locking key resting on the top of and in the locking groove of one pile and projecting into the locking groove of another, said upper locking key having a central opening therein through which a jet pipe may be inserted in said key groove.

4. In a wall, a series of piling members, each piling member having a locking groove formed on each edge thereof in such a osition that the grooves on adjacent piling members register to produce a key groove, tongues projecting from said pile on either side of said locking key groove and fitting tightly into grooves formed on an adjacent pile, a lower locking key secured to the lower end of one pile and projecting into the looking groove of another, and an upper locking key resting on the top of and in the locking groove of one pile and projecting into the locking groove of another.

5. In a wall, a series of piling members, each piling member having a locking groove formed on each edge thereof in such a position that the grooves on adjacent piling members register to produce a key groove, tongues pro ecting from said pile on either side of said locking key groove and fitting tightly into grooves formed on an adjacent pile, a lower locking key secured to the lower end of one pile and projecting into the looking groove of another, and an upper locking key resting on the top of and in the locking groove of one pile and projecting into the locking groove of another, sald upper locking key having a central opening therein through which a jet pipe may be inserted in said key roove.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at 'Los Angeles, California, this 26th day of May, 1916.

FOSTER W. HARDING. 

